Lawmakers override map veto

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon lost his battle with the Republican-controlled Legislature over congressional redistricting, when Missouri’s House and Senate on Wednesday rejected the governor’s veto of that map.

The state Constitution requires a two-thirds vote to pass a bill into law over the governor’s objections.

On Saturday, Nixon asked lawmakers to draw a new congressional redistricting map that better represents “all regions of the state.”

Nixon had argued that the map lawmakers passed a week ago “does not adequately protect the interests of all Missourians.”

And the governor repeated that concern in a Wednesday evening news release.

“I do not believe this map reflects a fair representation of the interests for all regions of our state,” the governor said. “Now that the map is finalized, we expect a robust electoral process in these significantly altered districts.”

When lawmakers passed the map a week ago, the House vote was 99-55, 10 votes short of the 109 needed for an override.

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